


Negotiations

by clevernessfound



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:12:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7405009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clevernessfound/pseuds/clevernessfound
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of the Dominion War, the Federation seeks to strengthen its ties to the Romulan and Klingon empires. Senator Vreenak of Romulus and Ensign Reina Hence of Earth are grudgingly dragged into working together in a cultural exchange program and establish ties of their own. Originally posted on my FF.net account!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

As Julian Bashir pressed the hypospray to the Klingon’s neck he could only reflect that this certainly was not what he thought he would be doing today. A barfight between Romulans and Klingons, though not unexpected in hindsight, ruined his plans for a nice outing with Garak on the holodeck. The Cardassian had expressed disappointment at his cancellation, though he smiled when Bashir recounted the details of Senator Vreenak being launched over the bar at Quark’s.

Resisting the urge to laugh at the memory, Bashir hurried to treat the next Klingon waiting. This particular group hadn’t taken much of a beating, and only by the insistence of Sisko did they agree to be examined. Idle Klingons did not do well for a sick bay.

The Dominion War had ended only a few months past, and politically and logistically there was still a good deal to sort out. The powers that be, in this case, the Federation, decided that it was a perfect time to reorganize and renegotiate peace accords and agreements with the Romulan and Klingon Empires. A conference was currently being held at Deep Space Nine with several retinues from each interstellar power.The general idea was that if the three powers could unite and shed blood together against the Dominion, they could certainly further strengthen the bonds between their peoples. Unfortunately, the end goals and objectives of the negotiations were vague at best. And the chaos of war still bled over into peace time, making bureaucratic dealings and directives all the more unclear and frustrating, and the negotiators were beginning to feel it. This tension led to the dredging up of old grudges and bloodfueds, particularly between the Romulans and Klingons who had spent more time at war than practically any other species in the galaxy.

This latest bout of fighting was brought on by thinly veiled insults that a Romulan centurion directed at a particularly testy Klingon warrior, an aide of General Martok. One thing led to another, and well, here they all were, crowding up sickbay.

Bashir glanced over his shoulder at his newest assistant, Reina, who was currently examining a bruised Romulan, strategically placed away from the Klingons.

“Well, it looks like you’ll be fine,” Reina said with a smile as she moved the dermal regenerator over a nasty gash the Romulan had sustained.

The Romulan only scowled at her in reply.

Bashir smirked. As his newest assistant, Reina was a vivacious young woman, who could easily charm any human (a most other species) male off his feet. In fact, Bashir had always imagined her as someday becoming the wife of an ambassador or Starfleet admiral, wining and dining political adversaries and opponents alike. With a few flashes of her brilliant smile, they were sure to fall at her feet and acquiesce to anything she wanted.

 The Romulans were proving to be quite a challenge to her, however.

“I do not need to be here.” The Romulan said tightly.

“That gash on your head says otherwise” Reina replied with an even tone.

“If those Klingons had any honor, they would not have started the confrontation.”

Unfortunately, this last remark was heard quite clearly by the Klingons.

“What did you say?!” one shouted, crossing the room, “I’ll rip you apart Romulan! It is you who has no honor!”

“That’s enough!” Bashir said firmly, stepping between the Klingon and his target.

The Klingon sneered “What business do you have interfering in this, human?”

“It is his sickbay.” Reina reminded him. “And frankly, that’s no way to talk to someone who just spent time and effort focused on your wellbeing. If you have further concerns to address with the Romulans, I suggest you send it up to your superiors.”

She wagged one finger at the Romulan in front of her, “And that goes for you too!”

The Klingon hesitated for only a moment, then with a parting insult directed at Reina, exited the room. His colleagues closely followed.

Now, Bashir allowed a smile to grace his face. He had been wrong. Reina wasn’t destined to be an ambassador’s wife. She was destined to be the ambassador.

A little while later, once the sickbay had been cleared of battered Romulans, and the less battered Klingons, Bashir realized two key Romulan officials involved in the scuffle listed in Odo’s report hadn’t reported to Sick Bay.

With a sigh, Bashir tapped his comm badge “Bashir to Sisko”

“Sisko here.”

“Sir, Senators Letant and Vreenak have not checked in after the incident in Quark’s. Would I be committing a diplomatic offense in sending someone to check in on them? Wouldn’t want to be the cause of any bruised egos by playing nurse to them.”

“Frankly, I don’t care about their bruised egos. They acted like damn children.”

Bashir grinned, “Even so.”

“Even so, yes, check up on them. Sisko out.”

Bashir turned to Reina who was scrolling through a PADD, “Reina, could you do me a favor and check up on Senator Vreenak? I’ll take Letant. Just ensure he hasn’t sustained significant damage.”

Reina grinned “Play nurse to a senator? That’s what I live for!”

Her sarcasm was not lost on Bashir, “Just be delicate. I’m sure he’d find some way of turning this around on the Federation.”

Reina threw her hands up in a gesture of defeat, “Fine. I’m sure he’s a giant sweetheart anyway.” She muttered.

Bashir smiled, “Testy today are we?”

“That’s what happens when Romulans and Klingons both come for a visit.”

Bashir laughed, “You’re just mad because your smiles weren’t enough to win any of them over.”

Reina grinned brightly, “Luckily, you’re not immune.” She pinched his cheek affectionately, then swept past him to gather up some supplies.

Bashir shook his head. Vreenak would have his hands full with that one.

 

As Reina made her way to the quarters of the esteemed Romulan senator, she couldn’t help but feel the urge to laugh at her predicament. In taking a medical assistant position on the far flung Deep Space Nine, she had seen her fair share of assignments that were unusual in nature. This was especially because of the station’s proximity to the wormhole. All sorts of new medical phenomena came with the territory of contacting new species in the Gamma quadrant.

This upcoming task was familiar however. She had treated her fair share of grumpy, old men who were all too conscientious of appearing weak. She suspected that this case with an important, dignified Romulan senator would prove to be similar.

This assumption was proven wrong from the moment she spotted the double doors of the senator’s quarters. Outside were stationed two Romulan guards with dispositions that did not imply they would allow her to waltz in.

She steeled herself for an argument then stepped forward.

“What are you doing here?” one queried.

Reina offered her brightest smile then said peaceably, “I’ve been sent by Doctor Bashir, just to check up on the Senator.”

“He is in no need of assistance.” The other guard said firmly.

“Even so, it would make Commander Sisko that much more relieved if I personally saw to his comfort.” Reina said calmly.

The guards looked to each other, then one nodded. He pressed a button on the side panel of the door,

“Senator, Starfleet has sent a girl to see to your comfort.”

Before Reina could correct the guard’s unfortunate, and she suspected deliberate, phrasing, the doors slid open with a hiss. The guards stepped aside to allow her entrance.

Reina entered cautiously, suddenly very aware that she was uncertain how to act in the presence of an interstellar diplomat.

At first, she couldn’t see him. Then spotted the top of a dark head on the sofa.

“Senator?”

He sat up and craned his neck to observe her, “Come.” He said. He was seated in a relaxed fashion, a PADD balanced on one knee and a drink in hand. Reina approached, surprised at the senator’s even tone.

Reina walked around the sofa, “Hello, I’m Ensign Hence, Doctor Bashir sent me to-“

“See to my comfort?” Vreenak supplied with a wry look. “Yes, I know.”

Reina flushed a little at that, “That was poor phrasing sir.”

“You think my guard has poor phrasing?”

Reina felt herself blushing even more, “Well that particular remark-“

“Hmm,” the Senator cut her off. His eyes swept over her, and she found herself scanning him in return. Vreenak was not nearly as old as she had thought, though it was often difficult to tell where Romulans were concerned. He had neatly cut black hair, with no signs of graying, and sharp facial features that reflected the remarkable intelligence he was rumored to possess. All in all, nothing that Reina had expected. Her medically trained eye also picked up on his posture, which looked as if it was accommodating some internal pain.

Without invitation she took out her tricorder to scan him, seating herself next to him in the process. He raised an eyebrow at her abrupt manners, but allowed the scan to continue.

 As she went to work on her examination, she felt his scrutinizing gaze on her face. It was making her vastly uncomfortable, a feeling which reflected itself on her face as a blush crept up from her neck to her cheeks. She didn’t dare stare directly into his face, but she got the impression that he was amused by her nervous energy.

 “Find anything?” he asked.

“You’re a little bruised up, but nothing serious. I’ll give you something for the pain.”

Vreenak scoffed, “Are all Starfleet medical officers so insightful?”

Reina willed her body not to react to the abrasive comment, but felt the blush on her face intensify anyway.

“Are all Romulan senators so easily drawn into petty disputes at bars?” she replied.

Vreenak’s lips tightened in anger at her remark, and Reina silently berated herself for her lack of control. It wasn’t like her to be so belligerent. She had dealt with plenty of patients with nastier attitudes than this guy, and yet for some reason he was managing to push her buttons. And she couldn’t get this damn blush off of her face.

She reached for her hypospray, noticing a bottle with blue liquid on the table in front of them. The same substance filled Vreenak’s glass.

“Kali-fal?” she asked.

“I’m glad you know the Romulan name Ms. Hence.”

“Ensign Hence.”

He waved a hand, “Yes of course. I’d offer you some but it’s an extremely intoxicating beverage for humans, particularly females.”

Reina didn’t know if it was because of Vreenak’s flippant attitude or her own discomfort in the situation, but seemingly of its own accord, her hand reached out and took the glass from the Senator’s hand. Meeting his shocked gaze, she calmly gulped down the remaining contents of the glass.

Instantly, her mouth and throat were aflame. She struggled to maintain her composure as she said, “I’ve had worse.”

Vreenak grinned, “Oh yes, I’m sure you have.”

He plucked the glass from her hand and placed it on the table.

“Don’t try and stand for a few minutes.” He advised.

Defiantly Reina stated, “Well, unfortunately duty calls. If you need anything else please don’t hesitate to call sickbay.”

Vreenak watched Reina amusedly, “Ms. Hence, you haven’t given me my injection.”

 “Right, of course. I was just getting to that.” Reina cleared her throat and turned to Vreenak, who propped his arms up on the back of the couch and watched her with the hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.

Reina adjusted the dosage level on the head of her hypospray, then quickly injected the medicine into Vreenak’s neck. She was surprised to feel her fingers brush against pleasantly warm, dry skin.

 “There. That should take care of any internal pain.” She said, “As I said please contact Sick Bay if any other symptoms arise.”

Reina rose from the couch and her vision began spinning.

“Wha-“

She landed back on the couch with a huff.

“Ms. Hence, are you sure you are unaffected by the kali fal?” Vreenak asked amusedly.

“Like I said, I’ve had worse. I just have terrible balance.” She lied.

“Hmm, well in that case don’t let me keep you. Please attend to your duties.”

Reina held in a growl. Smug bastard. Her ire at the Senator propelled her into standing once again. This time she managed to stay upright, but that was about as much progress as she made. When she leaned forward to gather her supplies, her vision once again began swimming and she came dangerously close to collapsing on the low coffee table.

Surprisingly, she felt warm hands on her hips tugging her backwards. Soon she found her back pressed up against the chest of Vreenak, who was now standing to assist her.

“Ensign.” He chuckled.

Reina felt the rumble in his chest vibrate against her back and recognized it as a pleasant sensation.

“Senator.” She said thickly, “I do apologize. The drink may have had more of an effect than I realized.”

It hurt her pride to admit it, but for the sake of diplomacy with the Romulan Empire she figured it would be best not to further antagonize the high ranking senator who just got his ass beat by a group of Klingons. Best to apologize for the damage she may have already done, then hightail it out of there.

She twisted herself around to face the Romulan, grateful that he gripped her arms to help with her balance.

“Forgive me. I’ll see myself out.”

“I doubt you will.” He remarked dryly, “Unless you plan on crawling on your hands and knees to your quarters.”

For some reason this description struck Reina as suggestive and she felt the blush on her face returning. Luckily, Vreenak was occupied with his communication device, contacting his guards.

“Neral, please come and assist Ms. Hence in returning to her quarters.”

The door slid open and the guard who initially heckled Reina walked in. Vreenak handed Reina off to him.

“Goodbye Ms. Hence.”

Reina didn’t bother replying.

As the guard called Neral escorted her back to her quarters, Reina avoided eye contact with him only muttering when necessary to give directions. However, she did sneak a few peeks at him a couple of times and was surprised at his neutral, almost bored face. Did he often escort inebriated women from the Senator’s quarters? He certainly seemed unfazed by this task. Or maybe it had just been an off kilter day for the Romulan guards after the earlier altercation, and everything else just paled in comparison.

They finally stopped at Reina’s quarters and Reina thanked the guard for his service before typing her security code into the door’s panel and quickly ducking into her room.

Her first priority was to drink some water. She had always been something of a lightweight and the last thing she needed was to end up hungover because of her ill advised consumption of kali fal.

Once she felt the drunken effects wearing off, she put in a call to Julian to explain why she’d be missing the rest of her shift. She decided to be honest about it. After all, she hadn’t had many indiscretions during her career and she trusted Julian to forgive her mistake. Besides, if she did lie about it and Vreenak decided to report the incident to Sisko she’d have more consequences to deal with.

Luckily, Julian laughed it off.

“Romulan ale? Reina, you know the effects it has on the human body! It’s highly intoxicating in comparison to human alcoholic beverages and you…”

“I know, I’m a lightweight. I had no business messing with the stuff. I was just…I don’t know.”

She didn’t care to explain that Vreenak had flustered her so badly that she wanted to do something, anything, to push back and regain her confidence in his presence.

After her conversation with Julian, Reina rummaged through her clothing and changed into the most comfortable outfit she had, a ratty t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts. Setting an alarm for the next morning, she snuggled into bed and found herself dozing off to thoughts of being caressed by warm, dry hands.


	2. Chapter 2

Vreenak rubbed his raised temples tiredly as he seated himself in the chair of his desk in his temporary quarters. To say it had been a trying and exhausting day was an understatement. After the disgraceful fight with the Klingons his men had instigated and the strange episode with the Starfleet ensign, Vreenak had had just about enough of socializing for the day. And as the brawl had shown, the ongoing negotiations were proving to be unsuccessful, to the point that Vreenak expected his delegation to be recalled to Romulus any day now.   
The beep signaling a subspace communication sparked irrational hope in his chest. Perhaps this was the order to withdraw?   
“Computer on screen.” He ordered.  
To his utter dismay and irritation, Benjamin Sisko’s face filled the view screen.   
“Captain, how can I help you?” his tone retained its normal relaxed and even tone, but inside he was boiling. The Starfleet captain was proving to be persistent in the peace negotiations, and Vreenak was hating him more and more with each passing day.   
“Senator Vreenak. I trust our medical staff saw to your needs satisfactorily?” Sisko asked, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.  
“Indeed.” As strange as the female Starfleet officer had been, he couldn’t deny that she had administered treatment.  
“I trust the Ferengi’s establishment was not too badly damaged?”   
At this Sisko openly smiled, “Oh I’m sure you’ll be getting a bill soon.”  
Vreenak grimaced.   
He despised having to dish out apologies. As a matter of fact, he had deliberately avoided them as much as possible throughout his career. Generally, the political game on Romulus relied heavily on subterfuge, more so than on other worlds. In avoiding issues directly, politicians never really found themselves in front of podiums dishing out apologies. Unfortunately, Vreenak now found himself in such a position.  
“I’ll be sure it’s paid in full.” He said.  
“I apologize for the disturbance.” He added stiffly. He reached to turn off the viewscreen but was stopped by Sisko’s booming voice.  
“Just a moment Senator. I have a request.”  
Of course, he did.  
“How may I be of assistance?” Vreenak asked, his voice taking on a tightness.  
“Given the state of the negotiations, my superiors at Starfleet command have come up with a rather…creative measure that might assist us.”  
Vreenak nearly snorted. Just what this situation needed, human creativity.   
“I’ve been authorized to institute a cultural exchange program, between members of my own crew and the delegations of the Romulans and Klingons, provided we have your agreement,” Sisko explained.  
Vreenak raised an eyebrow, “A curious method.”  
“It would be a 6-week program, taking place here on the station. I’d like to set up a meeting with you to hash out the details, see if you’d be willing to lend your support.”  
It was clear to Vreenak that this cultural exchange program was nothing more than a ploy by Starfleet to prolong the stay of the delegations on Deep Space Nine. Likely, they thought that such a program would support the idea of “togetherness” or some other equally ridiculous idea that the Federation professed to uphold. In any case, he was sure his government would never sanction such an endeavor.  
That thought bolstered his confidence considerably and he nodded at Sisko, “Perhaps tomorrow morning Captain?”  
“0800?”  
“That will work.”  
The next morning, Vreenak went to meet Sisko in his office. He fervently hoped the Klingons had given an outright rejection, thus putting an end to Starfleet’s ill- advised venture, but his hopes were dashed at the sight of General Martok’s one-eyed visage seated next to Sisko.   
He inclined his head politely, “General.”  
“Senator. Glad to see you in one piece.” He chortled, “Heard you took a bit of a tumble.”  
‘Tumble’ was a generous word to describe being thrown by one of the General’s own aides.  
“Have a seat.” Sisko said, “Kali fal? Or perhaps bloodwine?”  
Vreenak eyed Sisko’s own half drunk glass of the blue liquid, recalling the shocked look on the Starfleet ensign’s face when she had downed his drink the night before. He guessed that since Sisko was not laid out on the floor, the drink before him was a synthesized version of his homeworld’s most famous beverage.   
He politely declined, and didn’t even entertain the notion of drinking the repulsive bloodwine.   
The meeting went on without delay and Sisko’s description of the program surprised Vreenak in several ways. First, it would apparently use a partner system that required each pair to spend several hours a week together doing different cultural activities, alternating between cultures with each event. On top of that, there were going to be general meetings where Federation members, Klingons, and Romulans discussed their progress. It was up to each faction to select six members of their delegation to participate.  
Vreenak predicted utter disaster.   
“You can see that in leaving the planning of cultural events to the participants, we’re giving them the opportunity to take a more active role,” Sisko said.  
General Martok grunted, “They’ll have equal opportunity to avoid the program entirely if they wish.”  
“Well, they’ll get out of it what they put into it I suppose.”  
“What is the point of having the program,the headache” Vreenak asked irritably, “if you’re not going to ensure cooperation from all sides?”  
Sisko stood, bracing his hands on his wide desk, “Because in order for one person to share their culture and heritage with another they have to be willing to do so, and in turn have a willing recipient. You can’t force cultural learning down someone’s throat!”  
“And if you find a lack of willing participants?” Vreenak challenged.  
“Then our little project has failed.” Sisko stated bluntly, “Doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a try.”  
Vreenak snorted, “Ever the idealist.”  
“For once I concur with the Senator.” Martok growled, “It seems a bit optimistic.”  
“What the Senator fails to realize” Sisko looked pointedly at Vreenak “Is that I already have the full cooperation and, dare I say it, enthusiasm from the Proconsul. Perhaps that won’t guarantee participation, but it will surely lend some weight to our cause.”  
“What!?” Vreenak near bellowed, slamming a fist into the arm of his chair.  
Sisko fixed his gaze on him, “I was surprised as you are.”  
Vreenak seriously doubted that.   
Martok guffawed, “Your cousin must be nothing like you Vreenak!”  
Sisko looked back and forth between both men waiting for an explanation, but Vreenak kept his mouth closed in silent fury.   
“The new proconsul is a kinswoman of the venerated Senator here.” Martok grinned, his lips pulling back to reveal several rows of sharp white teeth, “She’s an unusual woman by Romulan standards, with liberal tendencies.”  
Sisko repressed the urge to laugh. He had indeed gotten that impression from his conversation with the woman, whose earnest face and curious inquiries were a stark contrast to the seething Romulan in front of him.   
“Really? You know Vreenak, I can almost see the family resemblance.” Sisko said, grinning at the chagrined Senator.  
Vreenak pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to quell the headache that was beginning to throb against his skull. 

“You know, it seems like it will be a rather interesting experience.” The proconsul said over the comm later that night.  
Vreenak struggled to keep his temper in check, “Proconsul, surely you see that this is nothing but a plot by the Federation to-“  
“Yes, yes I know.” The proconsul said, waving her hand in what was a decidedly un-Romulan like fashion in Vreenak’s opinion.  
He repressed an adolescent urge to scream in frustration at the situation. He had spent the last few minutes struggling vainly to convince his cousin of the futility of this Federation foolishness.  
“But we can spare a few weeks to humor them if it means we learn something more about humans and the Federation.” She continued.  
“Ael”, Vreenak hissed, “Are you certain you’re not letting your own peculiar fascination with humans cloud your judgment?”  
The proconsul bristled, “And are you certain your own prejudice against humans isn’t clouding yours? Perhaps this program would do you some good. Have you considered participating?”  
“Of course, I won’t!”  
“You will now. I expect weekly reports from you on your progress.”  
Progress? Progress in what?  
Vreenak gritted his teeth “With all due respect, I am a Romulan senator. My place is on the senate floor, not on a Federation station exploring the supposed joys of human culture!”  
Ael smiled sweetly, “And yet the only floor you’ve been on recently is that of a Ferengi’s bar.”  
Vreenak’s face tinged green, “That was-“  
“Cousin” Ael interrupted, this time, her tone more gentle, “Consider this a recovery period. You served the Empire valiantly during the war with the Dominion. I know it may not be the Romulan way, but allow yourself time to breathe. And believe me, when I say that a little human interaction is preferable to the incessant Reman slave debates that are currently occupying the Senate.”  
She huffed indignantly, “It seems my opinion no longer holds as much standing as it did on this issue. They say I’m biased by my abolitionist views as if-“  
“Ael” Vreenak sighed, “I’ll do as you ask.”  
Truth be told, spending time with humans did seem preferable to the never ending debates on Reman slaves. The issue had only grown more polarizing since the use of many Remans against the Jem’Hadar during the war.  
“Wonderful! And do remember to write home occasionally, my mother has been asking after you.” Ael advised brightly.   
Despite himself, Vreenak felt a smile tug at his lips, “Of course.”  
His cousin’s near sunny disposition was off-putting to many Romulans, especially in her chosen profession as a politician. However, Vreenak always believed that her success despite that was a testament to her character. She was a formidable woman when she needed to be.   
“And you will tell me all about the humans when we next meet?” she queried.  
“Naturally.”  
“Well then, enjoy your time on Deep Space Nine, cousin!”


	3. Chapter 3

Once all sides came to an agreement about the program, things started moving fast. The delegations quickly picked out their participants. From the Federation and Klingon delegations, most, surprisingly ended up being volunteers. But, Vreenak wasn't the only unwilling participant. That he had made sure of. Whether it was the vindictive streak in him, or the part that begged for company in his misery, something had prompted him to drag his old friend and colleague Senator Letant into the Federation's little experiment as well.

"Vreenak, this really isn't necessary." Letant protested on the day the news was broken to him.

"Oh, I think it is." Vreenak smirked.

"One senator missing from the senate floor is bad enough, but two?" Letant pressed.

"I think you may be overestimating your importance." Vreenak said.

"And I think, as glad as the senate may be to be rid of you, you're underestimating yours." Letant shot back.

Vreenak chuckled quietly. He had always appreciated the banter he shared with his friend, and he suspected that these talks would make the coming weeks a little more bearable.

He picked up a PADD and scrolled through the data Sisko had sent him that morning about the program. One participant name in particular caught his eye, 'Reina Hence'.

He frowned. It sounded familiar for some reason. As he continued to read through the lists, he realized that Reina Hence had been labelled as his partner for the program's duration.

Letant peered at the list as well,

"Reina Hence." he said, "Your partner?"

"Yes, it would seem so."

"A human?"

Vreenak grimaced, "Indeed."  
-

"Who'd you get?" Ling asked Reina excitedly.

They were poring over a data PADD in Quark's, chattering excitedly about the upcoming program. Reina had jumped at the opportunity to be part of a cultural exchange. She had always been fascinated by alien cultures and was delighted to have the chance to learn something new about one. Especially because the Romulans hadn't exactly been open about things of a cultural nature with the Federation since their first contact.

"I didn't even check!" Reina said, as she began furiously scrolling through the PADD, "Let's see, it says here…Vreenak…oh my God."

"Who?" Ling asked, oblivious to her friend's despair.

Reina buried her head in her hands, "Vreenak….kali fal guy."

"Kali…Reina, we haven't even started the exchange yet. I don't know any Romulan."

"Romulan. Ale."

"Oh! Oh…"

Reina repressed the urge to scream, and she pondered briefly if it was too late to back out of this. Her excitement about studying the wonders of another culture had all but evaporated. There was no way a human hating Romulan senator would make this a decent experience for her. Not to mention, the last time she saw him she could barely stand without his help, hardly the stuff of good first impressions

She sighed heavily, "Well, who did you get Ling?"

"Senator Letant. They're buds right? Maybe we could go on some double dates?" she winked.

"Or we could form a support group for all who have ever had to deal with Romulan senators." Reina replied wryly.

"I'm sure we'd find some willing members from the Klingon delegation."

"Or from any other race across the galaxy."

"Willing members for what?" Bashir sauntered over to their table, drink in hand.

"Doctor!" Ling jumped, knocking over her own drink in the process, "Oh!"

The reddish liquid of her Warp Core Breach seeped over the table, and Reina quickly moved their PADDs out of its path.

"I'll get something to clean that up!" Bashir offered as he hurried away.

Reina shot Ling a sympathetic smile, "You've got it bad, girl."

It was Ling's turn to bury her face in her hands, "So bad."

Reina normally loved to light heartedly tease the science officer about her crush on Julian, but now she could only drum up sympathy after her own embarrassing, alcoholic encounter with Vreenak.

She looked to where Julian stood at the bar, apparently waiting for Quark to fetch a towel. Approaching him was Garak, who had become one of his closest friends on the station, and Reina suspected, something more. She watched Bashir greet the man with a broad smile, and took note of how his entire body seemed to relax in the Cardassian's presence. Yep, definitely something more.

Reina shot a glance at Ling who was busy attempting to brush her beverage from her uniform.

"Hey, let's get out of here." Reina said, moving to collect her things.

Ling looked up from her task, bewildered "But, we just got here and Julian's coming back."

She twisted around, looking for the man in question and her gaze alighted on him and Garak, now drawn deep into conversation, contentment etched across their faces.

"Yeah, never mind. Let's get out of here." Ling muttered.

Reina's gut twisted in sympathy for her friend.

"Let's do something fun!" she offered, jumping up from the table, "What happens at Quark's on a Friday night anyway?"

Ling offered her a pained smile, but moved to follow her.

As they exited the bar, they passed some Romulans grouped together at a table, their dark heads leaned forward in conversation.

With a pang, Reina realized that Vreenak and Letant were among them.

"Maybe now would be a good time to introduce ourselves." Ling said, following Reina's line of vision.

"I guess you're right." Reina said, blowing out a long sigh. There really was no point in delaying it.

With trepidation, they approached the Romulans' table. Several faces turned toward them, scanning them with a fair bit of curiosity. Of course, Vreenak was the last to acknowledge their presence.

"Hello." Reina said, with a smile.

She noticed some faces softened, but others retained the stoicism she had come to expect from the little she'd seen of the Romulans around the station. Vreenak's face was the stoniest of all.

She directed her next words toward him, "I'd just thought I'd introduce myself, again. Since I'm apparently meant to be your partner in the exchange. This is Ling, she's Senator Letant's partner."

Vreenak nodded politely at both her and Ling, but to his side, Letant offered a smile and extended his hand toward Ling. She took it, smiling politely in turn. It didn't surprise Reina that Vreenak didn't offer her the same gesture.

"I remember you from yesterday." Vreenak said suddenly, "Were you very sick from the kali-fal?"

A few Romulans around him chuckled, letting Reina know that the story had gotten around. Likely due to the aggravating Neral, the guard who had escorted her back to her quarters.

Instead of embarrassment, Reina was now experiencing a strong sense of resolve. She hated being condescended to, and she was determined to not let his attitude cow her.

She laughed, "No, thank goodness I wasn't. I had a very restful night, in fact. Did your injuries heal nicely?"

Vreenak frowned, "Yes. Apparently, despite your unbecoming conduct you are a competent physician."

Reina continued to smile, "What a compliment."

"It wasn't."

"I'm aware, Senator, I'm just introducing you to the concept of sarcasm. It's common among humans."

"We have it on Romulus."

"Excellent! A few more exchanges like this and I think we'll mark the program down as a success."

Letant observed the conversation with undisguised amusement, while Ling's eyes darted between Reina and Vreenak, worriedly observing the lines of tension on their faces.

Reina stared directly at Vreenak's surprisingly, blue eyes, watching as they flickered from anger to…amusement? The moment was gone when Vreenak turned his attention to Letant.

"Senator, I believe we were about to leave."

Letant looked at him in surprise, but agreed, "Yes, I believe so."

Vreenak stood immediately upon his agreement, and began walking away. Letant stood as well, but turned to Reina and Ling first, "A pleasure to meet you both."

His eyes lingered a bit on Ling before he turned to follow Vreenak. The other Romulans at the table turned back to their conversation.

"Can you believe that?" Reina seethed as she and Ling lounged in her quarters later that night, "The man is so arrogant!"

Ling laughed, "You were giving it as good as you got though."

"Of course! I wasn't going to stand there and listen to his pathetic attempts to embarrass me. You know, he's got more reason to be embarrassed, frankly. Getting his ass handed to him in a seedy bar."

Ling shrugged, "Maybe that's why he was lashing out."

"Ugh, I don't care. I just can't wait for these six weeks to be over."

Reina drained her glass of red wine, then went to pour another.

"And what about you?" she asked Ling, "You're stuck with Letant! How do you feel about that?"

"He seems a lot nicer than Vreenak at least. Maybe it won't be so bad."

Reina sipped at her wine, hoping at least one of them would come out of this with their sanity intact.  
-

"I don't understand what you take issue with." Letant said, for what Vreenak estimated to be the eleventh time that hour.

"Spending time with gorgeous, intelligent women is not exactly a punishment!" he continued.

"If it were up to me I would not be spending time with Starfleet officers of any kind, regardless of their beauty or intelligence, which is in question I might add." Vreenak argued.

"Oh I don't think it is. But you do agree that they're beautiful?" Letant pressed, a smirk forming on his face.

Vreenak instantly thought of Reina's exotic curly, blonde hair. Several wispy, tendrils had escaped her bun and framed her soft, brown eyes as she had fiercely defended herself against him.

"No."

"Neither?"

"The one of Asian origin is aesthetically pleasing."

Letant laughed loudly, "I suggest you adopt a gentler manner toward your partner, or else these six weeks will be hell for you."

Vreenak suspected these six weeks would be hell regardless.  
-

The exchange was scheduled to begin a few days later, on Monday. It was agreed that after the tumultuous events of the weekend it would be best not to have any general meetings or opening ceremonies. Instead, as Sisko had first stipulated, it was up to the exchange pairs to arrange their own introductory meetings. Starfleet had provided some general guidelines for how the first meeting should go, which Reina had hurriedly scanned through on her PADD before getting dressed in black leggings and a brown tunic.

Vreenak and Reina had arranged to meet at a small café on the Promenade. It offered a wide range of foods from across the galaxy, and even some experimental dishes from the Gamma quadrant. Reina figured neutral territory was ideal for the first meeting, and the lack of Starfleet presence would hopefully lessen his aggression. Most importantly, Reina knew for a fact that Ling had chosen the same location for her meeting with Letant, so if things went terribly wrong, she had an ally.

She waited at a table she had found far into the café. It afforded some privacy, which she thought Vreenak might appreciate. It also placed her away from the café front window, which she suspected she would be tempted to jump out of after a few minutes in the senator's company.

She checked the time. He was two minutes late. And here she thought Romulans were known for their punctuality.

Five minutes. Maybe she had been wrong. Perhaps his lateness was a cultural quirk.

Looking to the other side of the café, Reina saw Ling engaged in conversation with Letant, both sipping at their beverages. Not a cultural thing then.

Ten minutes. Definitely deliberate.

At fifteen minutes, Reina stood to leave, attracting Ling's attention. Her friend shot her a worried look. Reina waved and smiled tightly, letting her know it was alright, then left the café.

"Looks like Senator Vreenak didn't show up." Ling laughed nervously.

"My colleague can be quite the stubborn fool when he wants to be. I'm sure your friend will straighten him out." Letant said.

He smiled wolfishly over the rim of his cup at Ling, who blushed slightly, "Now, where were we?"

Reina struggled to keep her temper in check as she stood face to face with Neral. The guard was currently throwing every excuse in the book at her as to why Vreenak was unavailable.

"I know for a fact he doesn't have a meeting scheduled with Sisko, because he has a meeting scheduled with me." Reina seethed.

The dark eyes of the Romulan stared down at her contemptuously.

"Then perhaps he just doesn't want to see you." he shot back.

"Oh no, he's not getting away with that. Stubborn Romulan mule."

She reached around Neral to knock at the door, but was stopped when he gripped her arm tightly and wrenched her back.

"The Senator is not taking visitors." he repeated sternly.

Meeting Neral's eyes, Reina defiantly stuck out one leg and kicked the hard, metal door. The resounding thud made Neral's face tighten in anger.

"Human! you are-"

He was cut off by the opening of the door. Neral and Reina stood frozen in front Vreenak, as he looked on with mild amusement.

"Ms. Hence. Can I help you?" Vreenak asked smirking.

Reina ripped her arm away from Neral and turned to Vreenak, "Why didn't you show?"

Vreenak raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps if you demonstrated some patience-"

"You were fifteen minutes late!"

"Was I? Oh dear, where did the time go?"

Neral smirked at Vreenak's blatant sarcasm, and Reina felt as if her head was going to explode. She let out a loud laugh of disbelief.

"You know what, Vreenak, forget it. I'm not going to deal with this. I'll talk to Sisko right now and release you from being my partner."

He scoffed, "You and I both know that is impossible. We're under the command of our superiors."

Reina sighed and rubbed her temples tiredly. Unfortunately, he was right.

"Then cooperate with me here a little." she said, "It can't hurt to try."

Vreenak abruptly turned and walked back into his quarters motioning for Reina to follow. She did so hesitantly, shooting Neral a scowl before the doors slid shut behind her.

Vreenak pulled out a chair from the dining table, and uncorked the bottle of kali-fal sitting on it, before pouring himself a drink. Reina was beginning to think the man was an alcoholic, though she probably didn't have much room to talk. He settled into the chair, crossing his legs and looking every bit an authoritative senator. Reina hated him for his apparent ease, and it didn't escape her notice that he didn't pull out a chair for her. Perhaps he expected this meeting to be quick, but Reina was determined to stick around as long as possible.

She pulled out a chair next to him and straddled it, arms crossed over the top.

His eyes scanned her posture, in such a way that Reina had to resist the urge to straighten her back or arrange her hair in a more flattering shape. She was noticing that this was a reoccurring reaction she had to him.

She cleared her throat, "All right then Vreenak, what's the deal here?"

His eyes snapped up to meet hers, "I suggest we…fake our participation in the program."

"As in make up everything on our reports and then bullshit our way through the general meetings?"

His lip curled in distaste at her wording "Correct."

Reina paused for a second, considering the pros and cons of such an arrangement. Pro, she wouldn't have to deal with Vreenak. Con…she wouldn't have to deal with Vreenak. As much as she dreaded talking to the man, she couldn't deny a burning curiosity she held for him. He was cold, sharp and foreboding as his physical features reflected, but Reina has always loved a challenge. It was what brought her to join Starfleet, the thrill of being thrust into unfamiliar situations and relying on your wits and wiles to overcome obstacles. And right now, Vreenak was definitely an obstacle to the task she had been assigned in this exchange.

Reina's mind drifted to the night she met him. That was certainly a score unsettled. The Starfleet officer in her longed to prove her worth to him, show that she was far more capable than what that first meeting had shown.

Then there were those hands of his that she had dreamt about, only the other night. She looked at them now, occupied with gripping the glass of kali-fal. Her gaze drifted upward, taking in the expanse of his chest and the place his collar met his long neck. Briefly, she found herself wondering what it would be like to plant a kiss right there. She imagined pressing her body against his, thawing his cold exterior with many such warm kisses. Romulans were rumored to be a passionate, emotional species, and yet the man in front of her looked about as emotional as a rock. What would it be like to elicit affection from such a man?

A cough from Vreenak alerted Reina that he was still awaiting her answer. She looked up, embarrassed to find him watching her peruse his body, with an amused glint in his eye. Now was definitely not the right time to be pondering her attraction to the man.

"No." she said firmly.

"Excuse me?" his brows furrowed in confusion.

"We're committed to this project, you and I." Reina said, "And your first lesson starts here."

She reached over and plucked the kali-fal from his hand, "On Earth, a good host always offers their guest a drink."

She sipped delicately this time, remembering her last encounter with the beverage. Vreenak stared at her for a minute, shocked.

"Is it also a human custom to take someone else's drink?" he ground out.

Reina smiled, "Oh no, that's a personal quirk. I have a lot of those."

"Ms. Hence-"

"Please, call me Reina. What's your given name by the way?"

"You may address me as Senator Vreenak, at all times." he hissed.

"Okay then, Vreeny."

"Ms. Hence!"

"Reina, please!"

"I will not participate in this ridiculous Starfleet charade of a program!" he shouted.

Reina stared at him a moment.

"Vreenak, I understand that you believe are many things that make Romulans superior to humans."

He folded his hands in his lap, in an attempt to compose himself, "That's hardly a belief. Many would argue it is based in fact."

"Hmm." Reina's finger traced the rim of her glass thoughtfully, while Vreenak watched her expectantly.

"Well, if there's one thing we outdo you in, I'd say it's compromise. Humans have a knack for making do with the worst situations, even the ones we find especially distasteful."

She smiled sardonically at him, then rose from the chair, "I'll send you my schedule and we'll work something out for this week."

"Ms. Hence-"

"Ensign" she cut him off, "If you won't use my given name, I expect you to at least use my rank. I've earned it after all."

Vreenak met her gaze, surprised at this show of backbone. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. She was certainly irritating, but this human might prove to be an interesting partner after all.

"Very well, Ensign." he said smoothly. He rose from his chair gracefully, standing close to her. Taking the kali fal from her hands, he let his fingers brush against hers for an indecent amount of time, and Reina repressed a shiver at the sensation. He drained the rest of the beverage quickly, then met her gaze.

"Perhaps our next encounter should involve a nonalcoholic beverage." he suggested.

"Agreed." she whispered, a little distracted by the Senator's proximity.

"Though I'm beginning to get a taste for kali fal." she added louder.

Vreenak stepped away, "Until next time, Ensign."

Later, Reina met up with Ling. She was delighted to hear that Ling's meeting with Letant had gone smoothly. Apparently, he wasn't as temperamental as his friend.

"He has a really nice smile for a Romulan, too." Ling was saying.

Reina was at least comforted to know that she wasn't the only one who was finding her Romulan strangely alluring. But, she definitely wasn't quite ready to admit that to her friend just yet.

"So am I going to be the only member of the Romulan support group?" Reina griped teasingly.

Ling laughed, "We'll see! It's only the first meeting. We're gonna be spending a lot of time with these guys."

And to Reina, that was both a terrifying and exciting prospect.


End file.
